Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-06-12
A Big FIRE.
A Twenty Five Thousand Dollar
Blaze
OYER IN BRIDGEPORT, YESTERDAY,
n. Kuhn'S Ice Houses, the Presbyterian
Church, and
A BLOCK OF DWELLINGS BURNED.

The city Of Bridgeport was visited by a
very destructive fire yesterday afternoon,
and in an almost incredibly short time
twenty-five thousand dollars worth OF
property was wiped out Of existence. The
buildings totally consumed are kuhn's
three ice houses. the Presbyterian Church
and TWO two-Story frame temenents be-
longing to Mr.. Kuhn and located on the
same lot with the ice houses. The fire Is
supposed to have originated from 4 locomo-
tive spark. and was discovered in the roof
o. the largest ice house, in the northeast
corner of the roof, about 2:l5 o'c.oc&, per
haps ten minutes after the afternoon mail
train passed up. The blaze when dis
covered was quite small, but spread very
rapidly, and in I few minutes the entire
roots ofthe buildings were in flames.
The fire quickly took hold Oh the sides
OF the building, and before work towards
/ checking the blaze could be fairly COM
meuced. the two tenement houses and the
Presbyterian church were IN flames, II
the entire row of small business Il
| dwelling houses IN Morgan street were IN
danger. and were only saved from the
fate of the Others by a row OF tall popular
trees aud the efforts OF 4 portion OF the lire
department OF this city, and the bucket
brigade.
As q rs the fire was discovered, the
entire population locked to the scene, and
a bucket line was formed to the creek and
q al. III ,..l.. .. E4N.. IiIasnFuUF
u%roperty. Mayor JunkinS telephoned to
the Wheeling Fire Department ior assist
ancs, and in a few minutes, the Niagara
engine from the Sixth ward Was
on hands, accompanied by the Hope
and Island hose reels. The engine
WAS stationed on the creek bank near
Heiulein's Block, and the tremeu soon
had two streams on the tire, and worked
like beavers under the personal direction
of Chief Duuniug. Their attention was
first directed To the cooling OF OF the hlaz-
ing mass of the burning buildings and
wettiug down the roots IN the vicinity to
keep the lire IRON spreading. In a very
short time after the iremen got to work all
danger OF the tire getting outside OF its
original boundaries was at an end and their
Efforts were lAl4ltNA W lAt Np'llAN1 bA W thN
ruiuS. Me-. Kuhn'S ice houses consisted of
three buildings, practically under one root,
and were totally destroyed. They had
been almost entirely rebuilt since the
Hood OF -. They were in very good cOndI.
ton. and contained about 5000 tonS OF
ice valued in the house at = 90
Der ton. The two tenement
houses were built together and faced on
Morgan street. They were occupied by
four families, Samuel Watkins, George
Kelley. Charles B1rnhiIl and a man named
Wise, all of whom lost nearly all their fur
nlture, and other belongings. EIrnhill Is q
conductor on the c, l.. X ". and had
been out on Il night n and was in bed
asleep when the fire occurred. lie was Sc
yerely burned on the arm before he could
get nj Of bed, and lost everything he
owned.
The Presbyterian Church was Il large
two-stOry brick, and was first seen to be
on lire ON the root. The three organs, all
the benches down stairs, and a. lot OF
dishes belonging To the Ladies Aid So
ciety were saved. The silver communion
service was thought to be lost. bat was
afterwards found to be in u safe place. The
house and office of DIR. John Cook in the
/ next lot escaped with hut slight damage, al
though all the furniture was carried ont
in the customary way. and was pretty
badly used up ca the opposite side Of
Morgan street, T. \. Drummond's shoe
store was emptled in u very lew minutes,
the goods being carried to the insurance
office OF William HolllSter, where they
were safe. hut pretty badly shaken out OF
scape. Mrs. Shlun Smith, who lives next
/ door, WAS away from home and her turni-
| ture was not touched. II Is very well il
was So. for her house escaped unchanged.
! T.. W. G,lmOrc'S grocery next door was
locked up and nothing removed.
In the residence next door everything
was turned topSy turyey, and most Of the
goods carried into the street. The house.
however, escaped uujuiured, except the
scorching OF the paint and some broken
glass. Max Gau's barber shop in the next
building was carried into a place Of safety,
/ and some SIuall articles broken and dam-
aged. During the progress ot the fire Sey-
eral people were slightly injured. George
Tickets. OF the Hope hose company, had
hts hand and arm burned to q blister while
carrying a nozzle in close proximity To Oue
/ of the tenement houses. Charles Caul-
man, Frank WOOdmansee and Henry
tIeihnlein, of the bucket brigade, worked
in the heat till their faces were badly
| scorched. \ number OF others net with
minor mishaps, hut no one was seriously
hurt.
The losses are about Us follows: y. Kuhn,
on ice house buildings, $1,000. Five thou
sand tons ot ice valued in the house at -
per ton, Sl5.OOO Two tenement houses,
$1,000. Insured as follows. on ice house
buildings, -, 5UO, equally divided among
the German, Franklin, and American in
suraure companies OF this city. On
dwellings. =, 5UO, equally divided between
the Columbia Of Dayton, O., and the Ger
mau OF Freeport, III. The Presbyterian
Church loss amounts In >, 900; insured for
81 in the Columbiana Mutual, of Col
umbiaua County, .. Doctor Cooks loss
will amount to about 5000. lie Is insured
for $1,000 in the Amazon, o~fCiuciuuati.
The P9SbyterianS having accepted the
offer OF the MethodiStS Tor the use Of their
church Tor evening services to-day, Rev.
HAYS will preach a to children. Is
he had intended to do in the morning.
\ Fine Monument.